Animals

Worker Esperanza Yanez gives a cow a full physical. She says she's learned to spot a sick cow just by looking at it.

With Spanish Classes, Vet Schools Aim To Break Down Barriers With Farmworkers

8:02am July 26, 2018

by Esther Honig

Because many farmworkers speak Spanish, veterinarian schools are pushing to open the lines of communication and ensure accurate medical care by producing more bilingual graduates.

Pot-Sniffing Canadian Police Dogs Retire

5:15am July 26, 2018

Canada is legalizing recreational marijuana use, which means RCMP cannabis-sniffing dogs are retiring. The RCMP says in some cases, police handlers will just keep their dogs as pets.

Camas Davis is the founder of the Portland Meat Collective. "Because I now am involved in the processes that get that meat to my table, I just understand the value of it," she says.

Food Writer Becomes A Butcher To Better Understand The Value Of Meat

2:38pm July 24, 2018

by Terry Gross

Camas Davis wanted to learn about conscientious farming, slaughtering and eating, so she moved to France and became an apprentice at a small, family-run slaughterhouse. Her memoir is Killing it.

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Shortage Of Large-Animal Vets Leaves Markets Vulnerable To Disease Outbreaks

8:33pm July 23, 2018

by Esther Honig

Large-animal vets ensure the health of cows, pigs and horses, but they're also the first line of defense against diseases that can spread from animals to humans — so a shortage leaves producers, and global markets, vulnerable to devastating outbreaks.

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African elephants in the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve in South Africa. De Beers Group announced Monday that some elephants will be relocated to Zinave National Park in Mozambique.

Diamond Company Plans To Move 200 Elephants From South Africa To Mozambique

7:09pm July 23, 2018

by Sasha Ingber

De Beers Group said Monday that it is transporting them from an overcrowded reserve to "help secure their future."

A yellow-bellied marmot keeps an eye out while it gets a bite to eat. Related to groundhogs, yellow-bellied marmots are getting fatter and bigger because of the longer growing season brought on by climate change.

Spring Is Springing Sooner, Throwing Nature's Rhythms Out Of Whack

7:04am July 23, 2018

by Nathan Rott

A warming climate is knocking nature's rhythms out of sync. High in the Rocky Mountains, scientists have been tracking the impact for decades.

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The way cows digest food takes a lot of energy and generates a lot of heat. This makes them lose their appetite and produce less milk.

As Milk Production Cools In Summer, Farmers Try To Help Cows Take The Heat

8:15am July 21, 2018

by Mose Buchele

From fans and misting water to creating a whole new breed of cow, farmers and researchers are fighting rising temperatures to keep the dairy industry from losing millions of dollars to "heat stress."

Britain's Big Butterfly Count Begins, With David Attenborough Leading The Charge

4:05pm July 20, 2018

by Camila Domonoske

For the next three weeks, citizen volunteers in the United Kingdom will be tallying the painted ladies, peacocks and brimstones they see, to help create a nationwide count — and soothe their souls.

A coalition of groups in Washington, D.C., are attempting to count the cats in the District.

Washington, D.C., Is Counting All Its Cats. It Will Take 3 Years And $1.5 Million

6:52pm July 19, 2018

by Camila Domonoske

The nation's capital has a cat problem. And the first step toward fixing it, apparently, is to quantify it.

Human Interest

North Carolina Zoo Welcomes Two New Baby Rhinoceroses

4:00pm July 19, 2018

by Bethany Chafin

In the last few weeks, the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro has welcomed not one, but two new addition